Rich looks my way and our eyes meet. He says something to Kelsey before walking over to me.
“Hey, Chef,” he says, draping his bar towel over his shoulder. “Need help with anything else?”
“No, I think we’re good here.” I pat him on the shoulder. “Get out of here and get home to your wife.”
“Thanks. You staying in town tomorrow night or off to New Mexico?”
“Off to Seattle actually, but I’ll be back.”
My jaw tenses answering his question because I can’t get back here soon enough. I’d love nothing more than to stay here and find an excuse to visit Cowgirl Coffee twice a day because Kelsey is actually talking to me now. But of all the weeks Slade could have picked, this is the one he chose to have me come check out the new restaurant.
He nods and pats me on the shoulder. “Cool. Well, I’ll see you soon.”
I step to the side and he walks past me toward the front door. The creaky door opens and a second later, he’s gone and I can finally start to relax. He just reminded me that I have a long day tomorrow starting with brunch service at Gloria’s and then a flight to Seattle as soon as we close.
“Hi, Chef.” Kelsey’s voice makes the hair on my neck stand. She emphasizesChefin a way I know is supposed to be teasing, but it takes on just the slightest, sultry tone that lights a fire in my blood and makes my cock twitch again. Fuck, this is going to be hard to have her around, but it’s so worth it just to be near her.
I look over to see that she’s standing right next to me, leaning her back against the counter. She folds her arms over her chest and I notice the amused smirk on her face.
“What’s so funny?”
She lets out an unimpressed hum and shrugs. “The whole chef look. It’s different seeing everyone bend over backwards for you.”
My lips pull up into a grin. “Is it a good look or bad look?”
Her eyes drift up to the ceiling in thought before they land back on me. “Undecided. I think I need to see more of it before I can make an informed decision.”
“Well, you’re welcome to pick up as many bar shifts as you want.”
Hell. She could run the bar for all I care if it means I get to see her this close more often.
“We’ll see.” She tosses me a wink. “I still haven’t stayed in this apartment yet. Who knows, maybe Grandma is secretly haunting the place?”
A laugh rumbles up my chest. “I haven’t noticed her yet, but grandmas also seem to like me, so maybe I’m excluded from her haunting schedule.”
I watch as she tries to fight a smile and ends up rolling her eyes. “Dork.”
She unties her apron and loops it over her head.
I extend a hand. “Here, I’ll put it away.”
She hands it to me and our fingers graze each other’s. Just like two years ago, I feel that same spark of electricity that makes my pulse quicken.
I shake it off and tip my head toward the office. “Actually, come with me. I’ll show you around.”
She scrunches her nose, which draws my eyes to her piercings. “Show me around? I already know how to get up to the apartment.”
I walk toward the office, gesturing for her to follow. “Come on, Shadow. Stop being stubborn and let me show you the shortcut.”
“Shortcut?”
I nod, reaching into the office to hang the apron and my chef’s coat on the back of the door.
I point down the hall to the staircase. “That goes to the bigger apartment that I’m in, but they’re actually connected.”
She makes a funny, skeptical face and I realize that mightbe a bit creepy to a single woman. It might feel like we’ve known each other for ages, but it dawns on me that there is actually a lot that we don’t know about each other. I could see how it would be weird that I just invited her to come up to my apartment that’s attached to the one she’s going to be staying in.
“Let me clarify. They’re attached but there’s a deadbolted door separating them and you already know about the separate entrance from outside.”